Combat overview
Light No Fire is a survival game with real combat threats. The official description calls it "a constant fight for survival" with "unique enemies" scattered across the planet. This is not a peaceful building game where danger is optional. The world wants to kill you.
The combat style swaps out No Man's Sky's sci-fi arsenal (multi-tools, blasters, exocraft cannons) for low-tech weapons and magic. Think swords instead of laser rifles, bows instead of plasma launchers, and spells instead of grenades.
Weapons
The reveal trailer showed several weapon types in use:
Item | Details |
|---|---|
Swords and shields | Close-range melee combat. Players were shown swinging swords at skeleton enemies and blocking with raised shields. |
Bows and arrows | Ranged combat. Players drew bows and fired at enemies from a distance. Useful when you do not want to close the gap. |
Staffs and spears | Longer reach melee weapons. Some staffs appeared to channel magic effects, blurring the line between physical weapon and magical instrument. |
Weapon crafting is confirmed, which means you are probably building these yourself from gathered resources rather than buying them from a shop. See the base building article for what is known about the crafting system.
Magic
Magic is implied but not fully explained. The trailer showed staffs producing effects that looked like spell casting. The broader framing of Light No Fire as a fantasy game with "low-tech weapons and magic" replacing No Man's Sky's science fiction tech points strongly toward a real magic system.
What that system looks like in practice is not clear. Is it mana-based? Do you learn spells? Are there spell trees? Can you combine spells with melee attacks? None of that has been confirmed. The staffs in the trailer are the strongest visual evidence, and they could be enchanted weapons or full-on casting implements.
Enemies
The official description mentions "unique enemies" without naming specific types. What the trailer showed:
Skeletons -- Undead humanoid enemies. Multiple skeletons were shown attacking players in group combat. They appear to be a common threat, the kind of thing you run into while exploring ruins or wandering at night.
Other unidentified creatures in brief glimpses during combat sequences
The fantasy setting opens the door to a wide bestiary. Between the lore's grounding in "classic myths and folklore" and the confirmed presence of dragons and giant birds, the creature variety should lean into mythological territory. But beyond skeletons, specific enemy types have not been named or described by Hello Games.
Boss encounters
Boss fights have not been confirmed or denied. The trailer did not show any obvious boss encounters. Whether the game has large set-piece boss fights, world bosses, or dungeon bosses is unknown.
Dragons
Dragons are the signature creature of Light No Fire. They dominated the reveal trailer, appearing in multiple sequences. Players were shown flying on dragonback over mountains, forests, and oceans. The official description says you can "fly dragons over undiscovered landscapes."
Dragons appear to function as flying mounts. How you obtain a dragon (taming, hatching, finding, earning) has not been shown. Whether dragons also appear as enemies you fight before you can ride them is also unclear.
Other mounts
Dragons are not the only rideable creatures. The trailer showed several mount types:
Giant birds -- Large kingfisher-like birds carrying players through the air. A second type of flying mount alongside dragons.
Ground mounts -- Various four-legged creatures being ridden across terrain. Horses or horse-equivalents for overland travel.
The official description confirms taming: "ride wild beasts through fantastical landscapes and fly dragons over undiscovered landscapes." The word "wild" implies you encounter these creatures in the open world and tame them rather than buying or building them. Both ground and air travel are covered by the mount system, giving players alternatives to walking across an Earth-sized planet.
Taming
Taming wild creatures is confirmed by the official description. The specific mechanics of taming (approaching, feeding, skill checks, time investment, failure risk) have not been shown. Whether tamed creatures can be kept in a stable, given names, or lost permanently if they die in combat is all unknown.
Combat mechanics
The fine details of combat mechanics remain unconfirmed. Specific questions that do not have public answers:
Is there a stamina system for attacks and dodging?
Are there combo chains or is each swing independent?
How does armor work? Is there a damage reduction system?
Is there friendly fire between players in co-op?
Can mounts be used in combat or only for travel?
Is there a lock-on targeting system?
These details will probably become clear closer to launch or during hands-on preview events. For now, what we know is: swords, bows, staffs, magic, and the commitment to "a constant fight for survival" as a game design pillar. See the overview for where combat fits into the bigger picture.